點

點 (Kangxi radical 203, 黑+5, 17 strokes, cangjie input 田火卜口 (WFYR), four-corner 6136₀, composition ⿰黑占)

• 嚸

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1519, character 28
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 48083
• Dae Jaweon: page 2053, character 16
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4745, character 11
• Unihan data for U+9EDE

Historical forms of the character 點
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *teːmʔ) : semantic 黑 (“black”) + phonetic 占 (OC *ʔljem, *tjems) – black dots.

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

點

1. dot; spot; speck

   在地圖上，城鎮是用小紅點標出的。 [MSC, trad.]
   在地图上，城镇是用小红点标出的。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zài dìtú shàng, chéngzhèn shì yòng xiǎo hóng diǎn biāo chū de.

   On the map towns were marked by a red dot.

   船在遠處的水平線上成了一個小點。 [MSC, trad.]
   船在远处的水平线上成了一个小点。 [MSC, simp.]

   Chuán zài yuǎnchù de shuǐpíngxiàn shàng chéngle yī ge xiǎo diǎn.

   The ship became a mere dot on the horizon.

2. place; point; spot
3. point; aspect

   他在這點上很堅持。 [MSC, trad.]
   他在这点上很坚持。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā zài zhè diǎn shàng hěn jiānchí.

   He is most insistent on this point.

4. o'clock

   See also: 點鐘

   我今天6點去看他。 [MSC, trad.]
   我今天6点去看他。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ jīntiān 6 diǎn qù kàn tā.

   I am going to see him today at six o'clock.

   現在幾點了？六點了。 [MSC, trad.]
   现在几点了？六点了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Xiànzài jǐ diǎn le? Liù diǎn le.

   What time is it? It's six o'clock.

   點零兩點／点零两点 [Cantonese]  ―  dim² leng⁴ loeng⁵ dim²   ―  almost two o'clock (literally, “one o'clock plus a bit, two o'clock”)

5. time

   飯點／饭点  ―  fàndiǎn  ―  mealtime

6. (mathematics) point

   我們可以用一條直線把點A和B聯結起來。 [MSC, trad.]
   我们可以用一条直线把点A和B联结起来。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen kěyǐ yòng yī tiáo zhíxiàn bǎ diǎn A hé B liánjié qǐlái.

   We can join point A to point B with a straight line.

7. (mathematics) decimal point

   三點二四／三点二四  ―  sān diǎn èr sì  ―  three point two four

   點分十進制／点分十进制  ―  diǎnfēn shíjìnzhì  ―  dot-decimal notation (lit. dot-delimited decimal)

8. percent; percentage point

   我們今年的利潤是八個點。 [MSC, trad.]
   我们今年的利润是八个点。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen jīnnián de lìrùn shì bā ge diǎn.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

9. drop

   雨點／雨点  ―  yǔdiǎn  ―  raindrop

10. (Chinese calligraphy) a dot stroke (㇔)
11. to nominate; to mention (one's name)

    老師點你回答問題。 [MSC, trad.]
    老师点你回答问题。 [MSC, simp.]

    Lǎoshī diǎn nǐ huídá wèntí.

    The teacher asked you to answer the question.

12. to count

    點鈔／点钞  ―  diǎnchāo  ―  to count banknotes

13. to choose; to select; to order (food)

    Synonym: 叫 (jiào)

    他們點了一些食物和一大碗湯。 [MSC, trad.]
    他们点了一些食物和一大碗汤。 [MSC, simp.]

    Tāmen diǎn le yī xiē shíwù hé yī dà wǎn tāng.

    They ordered some food and a big bowl of soup.

14. to nod

    他點一下頭，指明了這個地方。 [MSC, trad.]
    他点一下头，指明了这个地方。 [MSC, simp.]

    Tā diǎn yīxià tóu, zhǐmíng le zhè ge dìfāng.

    He indicated the place by a nod of his head.

15. to point
16. to tap; to touch
17. to click

    See also: 點擊

18. to light; to ignite

    點香／点香  ―  diǎnxiāng  ―  to burn incense

19. a little; a bit; some

    你能再給我點茶嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
    你能再给我点茶吗？ [MSC, simp.]

    Nǐ néng zài gěi wǒ diǎn chá ma?

    Would you please give me some more tea?

    我想要點蛋糕。／我想要点蛋糕。  ―  Wǒ xiǎngyào diǎn dàngāo.  ―  I want some cake.

    他有點蒼白。／他有点苍白。  ―  Tā yǒu diǎn cāngbái.  ―  He's a little pale.

    今天有點冷。／今天有点冷。  ―  Jīntiān yǒu diǎn lěng.  ―  It's a little cold today.

20. (finance) point (in a stock market index)
21. (Cantonese) to dip in (sauce)
22. (Cantonese) to trick; to misguide

    老點／老点 [Cantonese]  ―  lou⁵ dim²   ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)

23. (Cantonese) to command
24. (Hong Kong Cantonese, neologism) extreme (Classifier: 個／个 c)

    攰到一個點／攰到一个点 [Cantonese]  ―  gui⁶ dou³ jat¹ go³ dim²   ―  extremely tired (literally, “tired to an extreme”)

點／点 (diǎn) is often used for "o'clock", following the numbered hour: e.g. "three o'clock" is 三點／三点 (sāndiǎn). 點鐘／点钟 (diǎnzhōng) would be used in the expression "1 o'clock" or "2 o'clock", in order to avoid confusion between 一點／一点 (yīdiǎn) (meaning: "a bit") and 一點／一点 (yīdiǎn) (meaning: "1 o'clock"). When spoken out, 一點／一点 (yīdiǎn) (meaning: "1 o'clock") is usually pronounced yī diǎn, without the tone sandhi, while 一點／一点 (yīdiǎn) (meaning: "a bit") is pronounced yì diǎn, following the sandhi rule.

When followed by the minutes, 點／点 (diǎn) is used instead of 點鐘／点钟 (diǎnzhōng) as in 十二點三十分. In formal writing (but not in speech), 時／时 (shí) is used to denote hours, e.g. 十二時三十分.

• (basic character strokes) 點 / 点 (diǎn), 橫 / 横, 豎 / 竖 (shù), 提, 捺 (nà), 撇, 折, 鉤 / 钩 (gōu), 彎 / 弯 (wān), 斜

Fusion of 底物 (MC tejX mjut), literally “what thing” (Guo, 2003).

Often related to 怎 (zam2) due to similar syllable structure.

點

1. (Cantonese) how

   番茄應該點整？ [Cantonese, trad.]
   番茄应该点整？ [Cantonese, simp.]

   faan¹ ke^4-2 jing¹ goi¹ dim² zing²?

   How should I prepare tomatoes?

   呢個點算係錯呢？ [Cantonese, trad.]
   呢个点算系错呢？ [Cantonese, simp.]

   ni¹ go³ dim² syun³ hai⁶ co³ ne¹?

   How is this wrong? (lit. "How does this count as wrong?")

   佢點都會用筷子食飯。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   佢点都会用筷子食饭。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   keoi⁵ dim² dou¹ wui⁵ jung⁶ faai³ zi² sik⁶ faan⁶.

   He always insists on using (lit. "regardless of how, will use") chopsticks to eat.

   佢無論點都會搞錯嘅。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   佢无论点都会搞错嘅。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   keoi⁵ mou⁴ leon⁶ dim² dou¹ wui⁵ gaau² co³ ge³.

   He is guaranteed to mess it up no matter what (lit. "no matter how").

   點都唔肯／点都唔肯 [Cantonese]  ―  dim² dou¹ m⁴ hang²   ―  unwilling, no matter what

   你想點呀？／你想点呀？ [Cantonese]  ―  nei⁵ soeng² dim² aa³?   ―  What do you want?

   琴日個蛋糕整成點呀？ [Cantonese, trad.]
   琴日个蛋糕整成点呀？ [Cantonese, simp.]

   kam⁴ jat⁶ go³ daan⁶ gou¹ zing² sing⁴ dim² aa³?

   How did the cake from yesterday go?

   • 濕水炮仗點會響？ [Cantonese, trad.]
     湿水炮仗点会响？ [Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 許冠傑, 半斤八兩 (bànjīnbāliǎng)

     sap¹ seoi² paau³ zoeng³ dim² wui⁵ hoeng²?

     How is a wet firecracker going to go off?

   • 全部要加慘到極，陀累全家，靠份糧點夠食，卒之查到豉油都冇滴 [Cantonese, trad.]
     全部要加惨到极，陀累全家，靠份粮点够食，卒之查到豉油都冇滴 [Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 許冠傑, 加價熱潮

     cyun⁴ bou⁶ jiu³ gaa¹ caam² dou³ gik⁶, to⁴ leoi⁴ cyun⁴ gaa¹, kaau³ fan⁶ loeng⁴ dim² gau³ sik⁶, zeot¹ zi¹ caa⁴ dou^3-2 si⁶ jau⁴ dou¹ mou⁵ dik¹

     All of the prices have to going up; it's extremely miserable. I'm burdening my whole family. How is there enough to live off my salary? Finally, I found out there isn't even a drop of soy sauce.

• 邊／边 (“how ”)

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 点)

1. Kyūjitai form of 点

• Go-on: てん (ten)^{←てん (ten, historical)←てむ (temu, ancient)}
• Kan-on: てん (ten)^{←てん (ten, historical)←てむ (temu, ancient)}
• Kun: さす (sasu, 點す)、たてる (tateru, 點てる)、つく (tsuku, 點く)、つける (tsukeru, 點ける)、とぼす (tobosu, 點す)、ともす (tomosu, 點す)、ぼち (bochi, 點)

• 점 (点, jeom)
• 점 (奌, jeom)

From Middle Chinese 點 (MC temX).

點 (eumhun 점 점 (jeom jeom))

1. hanja form^? of 점 (“point; dot; spot; speck”)

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.
• Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin'guk Daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表, Inmyeong-yong hanja-pyo), page 37.

點: Hán Việt readings: điểm^[1][2][3]
點: Nôm readings: chấm^[2][3][4], đếm^[2][3][4], chúm^[4], đém^[4], đêm^[5], đóm^[4]

1. chữ Hán form of điểm (“a dot, a point, a period”).
2. chữ Hán form of điểm (“to identify, to choose, to nominate”).
3. Nôm form of đếm (“to count, to number, to enumerate”).
4. Nôm form of chấm (“to dip in, to punctuate”).

• Nom Foundation